Model America
by WritingIsLovely
Summary: In his first weeks in New York, Kurt is plucked off the street to participate in Model America, a popular modeling contest tv show. Blaine is the famous fashion photographer who runs shoots and sits on the judges panel. Falling for each other is the last thing either of them needs.
1. Chapter 1

"Oh! Sorry," Kurt said as he ducked, narrowly avoiding knocking into a woman on the sidewalk and spilling his tray of coffees. It was his first week interning at Vogue and it wasn't quite as glamorous as he'd been expecting, but still. It was Vogue! He was working (for free, true) under Isabelle Wright. And he was only 19. After having lived in Lima, Ohio his whole life, and staying an extra year after graduation to take care of his dad, he was finally living the dream in New York, with his best friend and roommate Rachel, and working at .

He tried to hurry as best as he could, jumping over a stray puddle, but something - or someone - caught his elbow and he ended up whipping around, sloshing a bit of coffee out of the cups, even though they had lids. "Hey!"

But then he looked at who it was that had stopped him, the woman he had just avoided hitting, and his jaw dropped.

Tamora Rivers, famous supermodel, talk show host, media mogul, and creator and star of one of his reality tv obsessions, Model America.

"Ohmygod," he said, stunned, "Tamora, I-I mean, Ms. Rivers, oh my god!"

"Look at you," she said, staring with wide eyes, "just...you're exquisite."

"E-excuse me?"

She brandished a business card at him. "How would you like to be a model?"

Kurt gaped at her.

"I assume you've heard of Model America-"

"Heard of it? I'm obsessed -" Kurt started to babble, but then clapped his mouth shut.

"This year, we're going to debut the new concept: guys versus girls. And you're exactly what I'm looking for. Have you modelled before?"

"No, I-"

"Fine, that's fine, we can work the diamond in the rough angle. I want you," Tamora said, pointing at him, "to send a video and photos to that email address," she pointed at the card, "and phone that number when you do."

And just like that, she was gone, and Kurt stood, clutching his coffees and the card, dumbstruck.

When he told Isabelle about the encounter, she insisted on arranging for some photos of him, as well as a video.

"You are doing this, Kurt," she insisted, "no, I don't want to hear it. I'll find another intern, and your position will be waiting for you whenever you come back. If you come back. A face like that belongs in magazines."

Rachel also insisted that he audition.

"You know I'll be incredibly jealous if you become famous before I do, but that doesn't mean I don't support you," she said, "and think of all the amazing performance opportunities! Granted, modelling isn't in the same league as Broadway or film -" Kurt rolled his eyes "- but it's something! And you could always become a model/actor like Tamora and then I would have connections in the industry! Oh, and it would help you get closer to the dream of your own clothing line. Lots of successful models produce their own lines eventually, right?"

She made a lot of sense, even in her self-absorbed Rachel way. He nodded thoughtfully as they watched an old episode of Model America.

"And," Rachel said slyly, as a certain gorgeous, curly haired photographer appeared, grinning and speaking to the camera, "you would get to meet Blaine Anderson."

Kurt blushed. "That's not a positive, Rachel."

"What! You have the biggest crush on him, Kurt! Why wouldn't you want to meet him?"

"Because I'd make a huge fool of myself. Or he'd turn out to not be the charming, dapper man he appears to be. Or both."

Blaine Anderson was the second most famous person on Model America, after Tamora herself. He was a well-known fashion photographer and sat on the show's panel of judges, as well as directing and sometimes photographing the models' shoots. He'd appeared in magazines as well, and Kurt thought he was just as beautiful on camera as the photographs he produced himself. On Model America, he was the most popular judge. All the girls loved him and he was an audience favorite. He was sweet, witty, and a true artist. Kurt would have no idea what to say to the man if he ever met him.

"Well, even still. Think of your career, Kurt! You owe this to yourself."

Kurt couldn't deny that it was an amazing opportunity, and he had Rachel pinch him several times as he sent off the video and photos to the email Tamora had given him, and then picked up the phone to make one of the biggest calls of his life.


	2. Chapter 2

Warning: In this chapter Blaine has a date with someone who isn't Kurt, but don't worry, it's before they meet.

"I love your place."

Blaine smiled. "Thanks," he said, walking over to his couch and handing Elliot a glass of wine, "people tease me sometimes because it's not a very modern aesthetic, but-"

"Well, I love it. It's vintage. Classic. It makes me think of Old Hollywood. Kind of like you."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," Blaine said with a grin, sitting down next to his date. They clinked their glasses together, taking sips.

"I'm glad you didn't think it was too presumptuous of me to invite you back to my place," Blaine told Elliot as they set their glasses down, "I'd love the chance to get to know you more."

Elliot smiled wickedly. "Likewise." He leaned in and kissed Blaine. It was good, Blaine certainly didn't think Elliot was a bad kisser, but it did seem sort of removed, calculating even. Like each movement of his lips, the way his hand slid up Blaine's thigh, was aiming for something. Blaine kissed him back, trying to ignore that silly nagging, because he really did like Elliot and find him attractive.

Elliot broke their kiss, leaning his forehead against Blaine's and breathing heavily. "So," he said, his hand moving ever higher on Blaine's leg, until it landed on his belt buckle, "I hear you're currently auditioning for Model America. Girls and guys," he said as he slid onto the floor on his knees in front of Blaine.

Blaine sighed and let his head fall back on his couch. There it was. "I think you should go," he said.

Elliot paused in his undoing of Blaine's belt. "What?"

Blaine looked down at him, frustrated but sympathetic. "This isn't a casting couch, Elliot."

Elliot looked embarrassed. "I - oh, God, I just thought if -"

"I know," Blaine said, standing up and giving Elliot a hand up, feeling disappointed and slightly creepy, despite not doing anything creepy, "but I'm not that guy."

"I fucked up, I really fucked up," Elliot said, looking panicked.

Blaine frowned. He knew what an unforgiving industry he was in. And he knew plenty of models got their start through the casting couch. He couldn't blame Elliot for trying, or for thinking he needed to try it. It was a hard career to get started, never mind maintain, especially for male models.

"Don't worry about it," he told Elliot.

But Elliot looked worried anyway. "I'm sorry, I just, I thought. I'm sorry. Can we forget it ever happened? Please? I made a mistake, I don't do this normally, I promise."

Blaine knew what he was getting at. As a struggling model, the last thing he needed was someone like Blaine Anderson blackballing him in the industry.

"Elliot," he said, placing his hands on his arms, "calm down. I'm not offended. I'm a little disturbed that I gave you that impression...that I would be interested in an arrangement like that, but I try not to be an asshole most days. I don't want to take advantage of models trying to make it, and I don't want to make things more difficult for you. So," he sighed regretfully, because he'd really liked Elliot, "we'll just call it a night, and say our goodbyes, okay?"

Elliot gave him a relieved smile. "You know, I really am sorry. I should've...I should've just gone out with you to go out with you."

Blaine smirked. "I would've liked that."

So he went to bed alone that night. It was for the best, anyway. He'd need to be well rested to deal with the first day of filming for Model America the following morning.

He knocked back his coffee the next day, sitting with the other Model America judges - Tamora, Gretchen, and Ricky Tee - feeling sorry for himself. He didn't want models throwing themselves at him in the hopes that he'd be okay with taking advantage of their desperation in return for a leg up in the industry, he didn't want casual one-night flings or brief affairs. He was looking for something a bit more serious, and he never imagined when he took up photography that he'd end up in world where nothing seemed to last long, and people rarely took each other seriously.

"...remember the key players we're always looking for, but now we need to add guys to the mix. So to up the drama in the house, we're looking for a few different guys - gay, straight, trans*, a bi guy would be amazing for a potential love triangle," Tamora was saying as they flipped through the info sheets on the contestants, "a sweet, innocent guy, a big player, an asshole, just some general types to keep in mind."

Blaine watched the usual parade of tall, thin, attractive people file in and out, trying to give them each the attention they deserved, flirting a little here and there, tossing out compliments freely. Gretchen and Ricky Tee were hard asses, Tamora could go either way depending on her mood, so Blaine had no trouble being himself and being a little nicer most of the time. He didn't see the point in tearing these people down, especially since many of them were already bundles of insecurity and emotional complexes.

He needed another coffee and he was still grumpy over how things had turned out with Elliot, when he walked into the room, and Blaine sat up a little in his seat, his mouth falling open a little at the sight of him.

The most beautiful man Blaine had ever seen.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hello, I'm Kurt Hummel," Kurt Hummel said with a little wave, "and I'll be auditioning for a spot on Model America."

Blaine's hands were immediately itching for a camera, because that face, that body - he could envision all the pictures he could take. He could envision all the other things he'd like to do, too. He shook his head and listened as Kurt gave his story, which would be spliced and edited for maximum sympathy points or cut out altogether if he didn't make the final cut.

"...came out to my dad when I was in high school, and it really brought us closer together, the closest we'd been since my mom passed away."

Tamora told Kurt to show is walk. Blaine was not a runway expert, but Kurt had beautiful lines, an elegant gait, and great posture. He was a little thinner than most male models, but that lithe frame combined with his delicate features made him a hot commodity - androgyny was a big trend at the moment. Kurt screamed potential, and Blaine thought the other judges were fools if they didn't see it.

Gretchen asked to see him in a swim suit, and Kurt's cheeks turned adorably pink before he exited to change.

"First thoughts?" Tamora asked.

"A little uptight for my tastes," Ricky Tee said, "I'll bet you anything he's going to come back in here fully dressed and acting like a nun."

"I like his face," Gretchen said, "very high fashion."

"Kurt Hummel is the reason this competition exists," Blaine said, not even trying to appear unbiased as he flipped through his information, "Tamora just found him on the street. He's green, maybe he's a little shy, but we've had models like that in the past. This is the kind of raw talent Model America sets out to discover. I think he's a great fit for the competition."

Kurt came back in wearing a pair of swim trunks. His arms were at his sides, but Blaine could tell he was fighting not to bring them up to cross in front of his chest.

"He'd need to bulk up," Gretchen said, like Kurt wasn't there. Kurt's arms twitched.

"Hm, but you could really rock a more androgynous look, I think, Kurt," said Tamora with a smile, and Kurt gave her one in return.

"You'd have to learn to be a bit more natural with your clothes off," Ricky Tee said.

Kurt blushed, but responded. "I can definitely work on it."

"You'd have to. I don't think we've had a single season of Model America without at least one nude shoot."

Kurt just nodded his head jerkily, his skin flushing pink down his throat and across his chest.

Blaine opted not to comment as Kurt walked the length of the room, fearing any comment he'd make at this point would make him sound like a pervert.

He'd worked with thousands of models over his career, including many male ones, many hot, buff, naked male models, but he'd never had such a strong reaction to one before, just standing innocently in his swim trunks.

Kurt stayed on his mind throughout the rest of the auditions, and Blaine knew it wasn't fair to the other models, but he couldn't help it. He went home that night chastising himself; he needed to get it together, because he could tell Kurt would make it into the competition: Gretchen liked him, he was a personal find of Tamora's, he had Blaine's vote, and he was the sort of broken doll with a steel spine type the show loved to play up - tragic parental loss, bullied for his sexuality, sympathetic loving relationship with his dad, innocent making his way through the big city for the first time. Audiences would eat it up. Just like Blaine wanted to eat Kurt up.

He groaned and fell on his bed, pressing his hands to his eyes as if that could block out images of Kurt during his audition. He didn't know just what it was that struck him so hard with this guy, but he knew he couldn't let himself out. As he'd told Elliot, he wasn't that guy - the guy who took advantage of the situation, abused the power he had over a struggling model. Kurt would be strictly hands off, even if it killed him.

Once he'd changed for bed and crawled under the covers, he tossed and turned, restless and full of pent-up energy. Sighing guiltily, he slid his hand underneath the waistband of his pajama pants, circling around his already half-hard cock. He stroked himself to a full erection, tossing his covers off and pushing his pants down, grabbing the lube in his bedside drawer to slick up his cock. He groaned as he jerked off, wide blue eyes, soft pale pink lips, long legs, a pert ass, a long, elegant neck, and a lean, lightly muscled torso drifted through his mind. He quickened his pace, imagining Kurt spread out underneath him, head thrown back, eyes glassy with passion, that beautiful flush spreading over his cheeks and down his body, like it had today, but for totally different reasons. With a soft cry, he came, his hips jerking his cock up into his fist.

He wasn't going to be that guy, but he wasn't a saint, either.


	4. Chapter 4

"Okay, Marley, give me just a little more in the eyes, a little more fire...lengthen your neck. That's it. Beautiful."

Kurt stood watching Marley's shoot. Well. Watching Blaine Anderson photograph Marley for her shoot. Marley was a tall, willowy brunette whose girl-next-door vibe transformed easily into edgier looks, but Kurt really only had eyes for Blaine.

The object of his pathetic crushing was wearing dark red trousers and a black button-up shirt rolled up to the elbows. He moved gracefully, holding the camera up to snap some shots of Marley, who was clad in a gold couture ballgown. She was Belle for the first week's theme - fairytales (really, Disney fairytales, but they couldn't say that outright without facing some legal issues).

Kurt? Kurt was Pinocchio.

It was a humiliating start to his run on Model America, to say the least, especially since Blaine Anderson would be photographing him.

He'd been horribly nervous during the auditioning portion of the competition, especially when he'd first laid eyes on Blaine sitting at the judges panel, looking impossibly even more gorgeous than he did on Kurt's TV screen. There was a charisma about him that could only be experienced in person, and Kurt barely made it through the whole ordeal without stepping on his tongue or buckling at the knees. It hadn't helped when he'd had to strip down to his swim suit and those dark golden eyes had swept over him.

But he had miraculously made it through the preliminary eliminations. Isabelle and Rachel were both more outwardly excited than him, mostly because he was too stunned over the fact that he'd made it, and met his hopeless celebrity crush all in one day. Rachel had squealed and jumped up and down, and Isabelle had thrown him a small impromptu party at the Vogue offices, making everyone present promise to vote for him in the final rounds.

He'd packed up his most fashionable clothes, as well as some of his most comfortable, and now here he was, at his first shoot in the competition. The first night in the house all the models were to stay at was overwhelming and a little trying. Kurt could tell he wouldn't be getting along with everyone. Marley, Brittany, and Mike all seemed nice, but Sebastian seemed to have it out for him already and Bree was a real piece of work.

Their first runway challenge had gone alright. The guest judges had liked Kurt's walk and attitude, but since the end of the walk had to end with him kissing Brittany, and he had absolutely no kissing experience, so he hadn't won the challenge. Currently, Sebastian was the frontrunner, and Kurt hated to admit he could see why - he was tall and lean with angular features that would photograph beautifully, and his cockiness translated to a confident walk. And it was pretty obvious from his kiss with Bree that he had plenty of experience in that department.

Kurt shifted awkwardly in his outfit. At least it was couture-Pinocchio.

"Thank you, Marley, great job," Blaine said, smiling and helping her down. Marley blushed fiercely and Kurt felt for her. He knew what it was like to feel flustered around the man, and everyone knew Blaine was openly gay.

"Kurt, hi, I'd like to have you over here...for your shots," Blaine said, smiling and looking him up and down.

"Oh! Okay, sure thing," Kurt babbled, fussing with his vest self-consciously.

"You look great, don't worry," Blaine told him, reaching forward to adjust the lapel of his vest.

"I'm a little wooden boy," Kurt muttered in embarrassment.

"Well, I suggested Prince Philip for you, but the blank stares the judges gave me suggested we need a bit more of a recognizable character for viewers," Blaine told him. Kurt's stomach flipped pleasantly. Blaine had wanted Kurt to portray a dashing prince? "And Tamora picked Pinocchio, so here we are."

"Sorry, I don't mean to...I'm not complaining," Kurt said with a blush as Blaine moved him into place.

"Just relax. Everyone's nervous on the first shoot." Blaine squeezed his shoulders but then quickly pulled his hands away, dropping his eyes from Kurt's to fiddle with the camera. Kurt's heart thudded at how those strong hands had felt on him, even for such a brief amount of time. "Besides, you're totally rocking the cherub look."

Kurt deflated. Of course. He looked like a doll, not a handsome prince.

"So we can go for some humor here, but try not to go overboard. This is modeling, not acting," Blaine said with a wink as he raised the camera.

Kurt was sweating a little already under the glare of the set lights, and worried it was showing through his make up, but he did as best as he could, trying to give Pinocchio some dignity while still keeping him playful. Blaine's instructions were minimal, and after a couple minutes, Kurt relaxed more and got into the modelling. He was still very aware of who was taking his picture, but Blaine's encouragement and small notes helped him feel at ease. At least until Blaine put the camera down and grinned at him, catching Kurt off guard with his beautiful smile.

"Great work, Kurt," Blaine said, offering him a hand to help him step down.

Kurt said a quiet thank you, holding his breath as he placed his hand in Blaine's. His palm tingled where their skin met, and Kurt stumbled a little. Blaine's grip on his hand steadied him, but Kurt still cursed inwardly, yelling at himself for being an unprofessional idiot who couldn't keep his composure around his photographer and one of the judges of the show. He made Marley look like a sophisticated woman of the world.

Blaine didn't say anything though, just gave him a pat on the back, and then called the next person.

"Oh, I thought this was a photoshoot for high fashion, not cartoon characters," Sebastian drawled as Kurt walked past him. Kurt glared at him in his stupid perfect Prince Charming outfit and Sebastian just smirked back, before sauntering over to Blaine.

It was going to be a long competition.

If he even made it past the first round.


	5. Chapter 5

Blaine was on set to direct Mercedes Jones's music video. He hadn't been at week two's challenge, but he was unable to stop the feelings of pride when he learned that Kurt had won, been handpicked by Mercedes herself for the special feature in her video.

"Alright, Mercedes, honey, just a brief talking head," he told her nodding to let her know when to start.

Mercedes was in full make up and costume for the shoot already, her curled and twisted with vines, dramatic smokey eyes, a long deep purple dress that fell to the floor in strips of charmeuse and tulle. She smiled at the camera.

"A lot of the models did a really good job, and Mike and Brittany especially know how to move, but Kurt was the obvious standout for this video for me. We're going for a modern-day fairy bar type theme, and Kurt is fierce, and he looks like he's an elf or an angel or something. I was really impressed with his ability to seem so otherworldly while still connecting with the audience, and I think it'll really show in his featured segment with me."

Blaine had been avoiding Kurt as much as possible during the video shoot. He'd been so adorably excited about the whole thing, telling anyone who would listen that he was huge fan of the R&B sensation. Blaine didn't know what to do with himself. He could tell Kurt would be staying in the competition for a while, even if it seemed, from Kurt's reaction when he made it through the first night in the judges room on his Pinocchio picture, that Kurt thought he'd be sent home any minute, and the more he got to know him, the more he grew to find him not just attractive, but smart, witty, and a secretly gentle and sweet person, who hid behind sarcastic quips and a bitch glare that rivaled Tamora's. The more time he spent around him, the more he fell for him.

And he felt like a jerk. He didn't want to favor Kurt over the other models because of his feelings, and he certainly didn't want to come onto Kurt, make him his position in the competition depended on sleeping with Blaine.

But he was a weak man, and when Kurt came out of wardrobe, wearing nothing but a pair of leather shorts, a silk vest open in the front, and artfully placed vines, Blaine immediately went over to help the choreographer decide on Kurt's exact placement...on a bed of flowers and moss.

"So, you're waiting here for Mercedes. She's the Queen of Fae and you're her kept boy, and you have absolutely no problems with that," the choreographer, Kitty, said, snapping her gum, "so we need you to look as seductive as possible. You need to ooze sex." Kurt nodded at her with wide eyes and she walked away briskly.

Blaine looked at Kurt. Even with the striking dark make up that emphasized his cheekbones, made those blue eyes pop, and gave his lips a swollen, just-kissed look, he still looked like he was about to throw up.

"Hey," he said, sitting beside him on the bed of moss and roses. Maybe a little closer than was necessary. "What's wrong? You look a little…"

Kurt looked at him with wide eyes. "I'm going to screw this all up, I know it. I...I have no idea what I'm doing. Ooze sex? I don't know the first thing about being sexy because I don't know the first thing about -"

Blaine's eyebrows rose when Kurt clamped his mouth shut and looked down, blushing.

"Okay," he said, "well, first of all, Mercedes chose you out of eight other models because you're the man for the job. You're not going to screw it up. If you're having trouble finding...inspiration for the shoot, I could help you?"

Too late, he realized how suggestive that was.

Kurt worried at his lower lip, and Blaine suppressed a groan. "Okay…"

"Great," Blaine said, giving Kurt a wide grin to help him relax. "So, do you have a boyfriend?"

Kurt blinked. "No."

Blaine mentally kicked himself for cheering inside. "Alright, that's fine. But there must be someone you find attractive…maybe someone you fantasize about. He could even be someone famous, like George Clooney or Brad Pitt." He looked at Kurt closely. "Can you think of someone?"

Kurt met his eyes, and Blaine's breath caught at how dark those blue eyes were now.

"Yeah," Kurt breathed.

"Now imagine you're waiting here for him. You've been waiting for him all day, because something prevented him from getting here sooner. And all you want is his touch - everywhere." Blaine's throat was dry as he took in Kurt's flushed cheeks, the movement of the muscles in his throat as he swallowed. "All you want is your mouth, everywhere on him."

Kurt licked his lips and Blaine couldn't help but stare.

"O-okay," he said, shaking his head a little and jumping up off the set bed, "I think you're good to go...uh, for the shoot."

"Thanks, Blaine," Kurt said softly, giving Blaine a small smile.

Blaine's chest ached. He was in deep, and it was not good. But Kurt had a lot of potential, and he was a wonderful person. He couldn't begrudge him for innocently sending Blaine's libido haywire.

"You're gonna kill it, Kurt."

And he did. The shoot was a huge success. Mercedes rocked it, all the models did great, and Kurt was apparently trying to kill Blaine by executing his part perfectly - as the debauched, insatiable otherworldly lover waiting in bed to be ravished. Blaine couldn't help but imagine that Kurt was waiting for him, desperate for him.


	6. Chapter 6

Kurt squinted at his reflection as he carefully applied his moisturizer, rolling his eyes at the sounds of drunken squealing laughter coming from the hot tub outside. He was feeling pretty irritable, since Brittany had locked herself in the phone room talking to her boyfriend over her designated time, meaning Kurt hadn't been able to phone his dad. And after the day he'd had, he could have really used his dad's calming words and grounding presence.

It wasn't that he had had a bad day. Everything had been too fabulous for words. He'd won the challenge, with the Mercedes Jones selecting him for the special feature in her new music video. And then he'd gone through hair and make-up and found himself on the set of a glamorous music video. And then...when he was just starting to freak out from nerves and insecurity, Blaine Anderson had taken the time to calm him down and advise him.

When he thought about Blaine, who was on set as a supervising director, bothering to deal with a panicking would be model, his heart flipped pleasantly. He was so nice, down to earth and patient and his belief in Kurt made Kurt swell with pride. But when he thought about just how Blaine had helped him, the words he'd said, his deep, sensual voice, his dark, golden eyes holding Kurt's, and how Kurt had felt in response...well, the butterflies in his stomach turned into a desperate ache lower down, and his cheeks flushed hot as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"What's on your mind, Pinocchio?" Sebastian was leaning against the door, smirking at him. "You're looking all hot and bothered. Don't tell me Blaine bothering to speak to you for five seconds today has your panties all wet even now."

Kurt glared at him in the mirror. "There's a reason I insisted on not rooming with you. Get out."

"Whatever. I understand you don't want the real competition around reminding you of how much you suck. Mercedes may have gone temporarily insane and picked you as the winner today, but judging by the Tamora mail, the shoot tomorrow is going to be a nude one. And Blaine and everyone else will realize that you being here is a huge mistake." Sebastian sauntered away with a smirk, and Kurt pulled off his headband with a sigh. He didn't think the clue was so obvious. " Get ready to bare it all" could mean many things. But he did know that there would be a nude shoot at some point, and there was no way he could pull that off. And he certainly didn't want to face such humiliation in front of Blaine.

He slid into his bed, looking around guiltily to make sure no one was nearby. His thoughts drifted to Blaine again and the things he had described as Kurt had imagined Blaine as the lover he was waiting for. It was so unprofessional, so inappropriate, but he blew out a heavy breath as his hand skipped below the waist of his pants an curled tentatively around himself. He didn't do this often, always feeling they go eat embarrassed, but as he thought of Blaine doing those things to him his mind drifted and he let himself go.

The following morning, Kurt found himself with the rest of the models on a beach location. Blaine was waiting for them' he smiled as they all walked up to him, winking at Marley and making her blush. Kurt fought not to be jealous.

"So, have you all figured out what the theme of today's shoot is?" Blaine asked with a grin.

"We're getting naked!" Brittany yelany, pumping her fist is the air. The others laughed and hollered, and Kurt tried for a smile. Blaine chuckled and shook his head.

"Not today. No, we'll be getting intimate in a different way. There's no hiding, no tricks of light, no makeup illusions, just your beautiful faces in their completely natural glory." Blaine smiled around at them, taking Kurt's breath away when he met his eyes. Some of the others groaned in disappointment, but Kurt thought it was a great idea. He heard Marley sigh in relief next to him.

Blaine clapped his hands. "You all know what Tamora will be looking for. Smiling with your eyes, lots of attitude, plenty of expression without overacting, and that unique aspect that makes you you. Head on over to Santana and Quinn for hair and no makeup and I'll see you all soon!"

Kurt noted Sebastian's sour expression with a small sense of satisfaction. He suddenly felt a lot lighter and maybe he had a good chance of making it to the next round after all.

when it was time for his shoot, Blaine got up close and personal with his camera.

"We're doing extreme close-ups, Kurt, so I need you to bring everything in those eyes to distract from any blemishes. Although, your skin is pretty much flawless," Blaine noted, nudging Kurt' chin up with a finger gently. Kurt's skin burned at the touch and he mouthed a thank you. he kept it together as best he could throughout the shoot, reminding himself over and over that he was a professional, and so was his photographer, and that was all there was to it.

"Great job, Kurt." Blaine lowered his camera, gazing at Kurt steadily. "I never noticed those freckles across your nose before. That's one of the reasons I like this photo shoot concept so much. I get to see things I wouldn't otherwise." He cleared his throat. "And more importantly, so do the viewers."

"It's a great idea. I think it's a lot more challenging then what a lot of the other models thought we were getting into today. I mean, I guess, well, a photoshoot with no clothes... a, a, a nude photo shoot comes with its own difficulties, I'm sure, but I just think, well you already said it..." Kurt clapped his mouth shut, frustrated. He had always prided himself on his eloquence, but lately these days he couldn't finish a sentence. And he knew what was causing his lack of articulation.

Blaine's eyes glittered as he smiled. "You should give yourself more credit, you know," he said, "you're good, but you'll only be great if you find that confidence for real."

Kurt nodded, blushing when Blaine patted him on the shoulder. He knew the competition has only just begun, and that his heart would probably never stop beating faster whenever Blaine was taking his picture, but he was starting to believe that he could go far.


End file.
